Death of an Anime

A/N - Here we go again! So I had an interesting weekend this one just past... One of my friends got me involved in an Inuyasha character elimination thread on a message board. The characters were, Kagome, Shippou, Kirara, Myouga, Kouga, Inuyasha, Naraku, Sesshoumaru, Miroku, Kikyou, Kohaku, Sango, Kagura, Bankotsu, and Jakotsu. Pretty much anyway. Its possible I may have forgotten someone or added someone in. They each started out with an even number of points, and then we had to vote to take one point away from one character and give it to another. Anyway, when I joined, the first five were already dead. That's why there won't be any fics for them. Gomen. But I did get to write six or seven, and those are what will be posted here. :) I'm posting these in relatively chronological order, since all of them pretty much fit together and play off each other. Here goes the first one! Have fun!!

Disclaimer: Roses are red, blood is red too, I'm making no money, so please do not sue!!!

Warnings: Very slight shounen-ai leanings (thank you, Jakotsu...) and ANGST.
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Inuyasha was still in mourning. Kagome was dead. It still hurt!! He tried to hide it, but it was apparent in every footstep he took. Sango and Miroku shot looks at each other. Their hanyou friend was bristling, looking for a fight to take his mind off the pain. He never thought things through as it was, and this was making things worse. He was dodging in and out of the forest they were walking by, howling for any demon inside to show itself and fight. The duo shook their heads and clasped hands, giving each other strength. Kagome's and Shippou's deaths had affected them both badly as well.

When one is looking for a fight, eventually it will come along.

"INUYASHAAAA!!"

The hanyou's ears jerked, and a resigned smile flitted over his face, before he growled and snarled.

"I'm over here, ya irritating bourei!!" But to Inuyasha's surprise and dismay, Jakotsu was not the only foe headed towards him.

"Konnichi-wa, Inuyasha." That cocky smirk. The long black braid...what the hell was Bankotsu doing here as well?! Suddenly not so sure anymore, Inuyasha turned up his bravado a notch.

"Keh! What are you two idiots doing here? Come back so I can beat your sorry butts again?" His hand rested on the hilt of Tessaiga, but he didn't dare draw it, afraid that, without Kagome, it wouldn't transform. His heart simply wasn't in it anymore. He missed the narrowed charcoal eyes raking over his figure, the pink tongue darting out to lick scarlet lips as Jakotsu stared at him.

"Mou...Inuyasha...you don't think we'd come back just for that, did you?" The lips spread in a twisted smile. "Besides...Renkotsu-no-aniki isn't here to stop me this time. Nobody will interfere." He darted a look at his leader. "Right, Aniki?" Blue eyes sparkled as the leader of the Shichinintai grinned.

"He's all ours, Jakotsu. Go ahead." The braided man stepped back to watch, a smirk tugging at his lips. Miroku and Sango made strangled noises and moved into defensive stances, but Inuyasha turned and yelled for them to stand down. This was his fight.

Big mistake.

"I've told you before, Inuyasha-kun..." The tone started out teasing, but quickly turned sharp and biting. "Never forget that I am your enemy here!!" And the sword flashed out. Inuyasha didn't even have time to try and draw Tessaiga. Then again, it's not like he wanted to live anymore. As he felt the many-bladed weapon surround his body, pinning his arms to his sides and cutting into his flesh, he looked blankly into Jakotsu's bloodlust-filled and dilated eyes.

"Oooh, Aniki! Look! He looks so broken...so..." Jakotsu bit his bottom lip, eyes shining with wicked glee. Inuyasha looked toward the young leader, face resigned, the tragedy on his face not that of defeat, but that of grief. Jakotsu pulled the blades tighter, letting out a happy giggle when Inuyasha grunted in pain. Miroku and Sango held each other close, and Sango shut her eyes against the scene enfolding in front of her.

"Inuyasha..." Miroku started, only to be glared into silence by fierce sapphire eyes. Bankotsu walked over to his companion's side, and whispered something in his ear. The sadistic swordsman's head whirled around to face the woods. "Sesshoumaru is here??"

Since he no longer held the element of surprise, the elegant youkai materialized out of the forest. Bankotsu frowned. "Are you here to stop us?" Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow in response.

"By all means, go right ahead." He watched detachedly as Miroku and Sango begged and pleaded for him to help his brother, their cries going unheard. Jakotsu continued to pull the sword tighter and tighter, a tiny bit at a time, delighting in the soft exclamations of pain he was wringing from the object of his twisted desires.

"Oh, Inuyasha...of all the men I've ever killed, I've loved you the most." The bourei cooed, readying himself for the final flick of his wrist that would slice through muscle and tendon, killing Inuyasha.
But before he could execute his prisoner, a black and silver figure shot in front of him with a yell of anger, and Inuyasha's head rolled to the ground. Robbed yet again of his prize, Jakotsu looked at his friend in confusion. Blood was spattered across Banryuu's blade, as well as Miroku and Sango, who took one look at Inuyasha's lifeless eyes shining dully from his severed head, and fled.

"Aniki..." Jakotsu's lower lip trembled, "....why?? Why did you..." Bankotsu looked at him, eyes full of jealous fire. He walked over to Inuyasha's head, lying on the ground, and leaned over it, busying himself with something. Jakotsu stared at his leader's hunched back in sad confusion, then recalled his own sword, letting the headless body slump to the ground. He walked over to it and removed Tessaiga. Sesshoumaru was still waiting quietly on the edge of the woods. Standing back up, Jakotsu walked over to the gorgeous man and held out the sword.

"Anou....about before....no hard feelings?" He gave the youkai Lord his most winning smile, and was rewarded with a hard glare as a small girl ran out of the woods and took the sword in her small hands. Sesshoumaru turned his back on the mercenary then, and with a single, "Rin.", disappeared back into the woods, followed by the girl.

"Jakotsu." Came his companion's deep voice. Jakotsu turned, and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at what he saw. Bankotsu...with Inuyasha's ears. On his head. They looked to be tied on with a length of the dead hanyou's fire-rat robe. The effect was charming, if decidedly different than the ears had looked on their previous owner. The Shichinintai Attack-Captain looked at his friend in confusion, and again saw the jealousy in those dear blue eyes, as well as something he'd only seen there once before. Desperation.

"Bankotsu?"

"Oi, Jakotsu...What about now?? I have the stupid ears...just like the hanyou did..." It suddenly clicked in Jakotsu's mind. All the jealousy, the interference just when he was about to kill his object of lust...and that desperation. His confusion melted into a small smile, which grew when Bankotsu stepped closer to him, a tentative smile on his own face. He dared to take another step closer, reaching up and stroking black hair.

"Aniki...Bankotsu..I.." He grinned and reached up farther, yanking the ear-band off his friend's head. "I think...I like you better...without the ears."

~Owari

And Inuyasha goes down...grief can be a huge toll on a man...